Finance Minister Dr. Yuval Shteinitz opposes the Plesner Committee’s intention to compel chareidim to serve in the IDF. He feels that ultimately, the “burden” is to release chareidim from the current situation and permit them to enter the workplace, for this will reduce dependence on state aid and alleviate rising poverty in the chareidi sector.

According to the Tal Law, one may declare that one’s profession is learning torah and thereby avoid the draft at age 18. At age 22, one must then declare one will continue learning or enter the military. As such, for chareidim unwilling to enter the IDF the Tal Law has locked them in, unable to join the workforce. Many critics of the Tal Law feel that while it provided a solution regarding IDF service, it has resulted in widespread poverty in the chareidi sector since avreichim may not leave the beis medrash to work even if they wish to. With the High Court ruling the Tal Law is illegal many feel the prudent move at present is to modify the situation to permit chareidim to work and thereby alleviating the poverty which is far more essential on a national level than military service.

Addressing a Tel Aviv finance conference, Shteinitz explained that he opposes efforts to force chareidim to serve in the military and it would be wiser to devise a plan to bring them into the workplace instead. This he feels should be the mission, to get more chareidim working.

“It is clear as day that every Jewish male reaching the age of 18 must serve in the IDF and defense the State of Israel but if we ask what is urgent and essential, it is mainstreaming chareidim into the workplace. This is critical as far as the country is concerned”.

The senior minister warned that if there is not a significant increase in the number of chareidim and Arabs joining the workforce in the next 10-20 years, the nation will suffer. He feels the process of additional members of these minority groups entering the workplace has begun and it must continue, for if not, the blow to the national economy will be significant.

“When we speak of sharing the burden, national or military service, there is no value to us having battalions serving because they were compelled to. their output will be minimal at best because of their lack of motivation” Shteinitz told the conference participants.

“It is not sharing the burden when one serves in a submarine or tank, in Golani or Paratroops, while one is in a hospital and one in yeshiva or planting flowers in one’s home community. We will pay enormous sums of money from the treasury for non-essential services and non-productivity while possibly having a negative impact on the economy and there still will not be equality or ‘sharing the burden’”.

Shteinitz called on Plesner Committee members to take the economic factor under consideration as well, telling them “The decision cannot be made while sharpening out political swords but as a result of deep thinking and consideration including the economic factor as well. We need to find not only the most just solution but also the most appropriate one”.

“There cannot be economic work accidents. The most just solution is that everyone serves in the IDF but the most appropriate solution is first and foremost, sharing the economic burden, improving their status for all our sakes and this demands formulating a rational reasonable policy that contributes to the nation”.

At the opening of a meeting of the Knesset Foreign Affairs & Defense Committee Prime Minister Binyamin expressed his support for equality and sharing the burden, which he feels must include Jews and Arabs alike, including chareidim. “I believe in this and I believe in equality for all citizens of Israel including the chareidi and Arab communities” stated the prime minister.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)